Residents in several communities across Massachusetts were warned to brace for extended 'multi-day' power outages following Sandy, a powerful hybrid storm that pounded the Northeast coast.

The Town of Boxford sent an e-mail alert to residents, warning that many parts of the suburban community remained without power Tuesday and National Grid reported the outages would be extended, multi-day outages as restoration continued to be delayed.

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The Boxford fire station was opened up to residents between 6am and 10pm for water and electronic device charging.

About 289,000 utility customers were still without power as of 10 a.m. and south coastal areas were battered by a potent storm surge of 6 feet in some areas.

National Grid reported 155,138 customers without power and NSTAR said it had 53,733 customers still in the dark as of 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Despite the longer than anticipated restoration time, officials on Tuesday expressed relief that the state dodged a direct hit from Sandy.

"We feel very fortunate. There have been no reports of serious injury or serious infrastructure damage. Now that we have daylight, we are getting specific information about where there has been damage," Gov. Deval Patrick said at a morning briefing at the state's emergency management center.

After the briefing, Patrick toured some storm damaged areas, including Revere Beach. He is expected to tour the entire state in the coming days.

Public transportation ground to a halt in the Boston area and flights out of Logan International Airport were few. Winds gusted above 60 mph and even reached 70 mph in some places.

Two people died in highway traffic accidents, one in Peabody and one in Dartmouth, but state police said the fatalities did not initially appear storm-related. No other serious injuries were reported.

The threat of coastal flooding prompted mandatory evacuations in sections of Dartmouth and Fall River and voluntary evacuations in other coastal communities including parts of Scituate, New Bedford, Lynn and Plum Island.

But most residents, like Tom and Lesley Chamberlain of Scituate, were reluctant to leave their seaside homes, even as the storm surge lapped at the base of a stair leading to their back door.

"The only thing that would make us leave is if the water got in the door," Tom Chamberlain said.

A steady stream of onlookers went to Scituate Harbor during high tide at midday to see rough waves splashing over docks and boats rocking back and forth in fierce winds. Police blocked off several streets in the town, about 30 miles south of Boston.

Patrick said he was "cautiously optimistic" that service on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority would be back to normal or near normal levels by the Tuesday morning rush hour.

Bus shuttles will replace trains on the Green Line D-Branch between Riverside and Reservoir Stations. All other Subway lines were scheduled to resume regularly scheduled service.

At South Station, commuters stood in front of a train information board waiting to learn which tracks their rides home would be leaving on. But getting to the track was a challenge for some, as an alley of wind developed between the building and the outdoor commuter rail train platform with gusts that knocked some people off their feet.

Zachary Ryan, 19, of Bellingham, was there to catch the last train home after coming to Boston to visit a friend. The two helped others who were struggling against the wind.

"That guy took a spill," said Ryan, pointing to a man who fell. "That was madness. He just went flying. This is the fourth time I lost my hat."

State office buildings were closed on Monday as were schools, but Patrick said state government would resume normal operations at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and many communities were expected to reopen schools as well.

State officials said utilities that had been sharply criticized for their performances after two major storms last year were better prepared for this storm, with extra crews called in from other parts of the country to deal with the expected outages. Still, customers without power were told to be patient because many line crews would not be able to safely begin repairs until the strongest winds subsided.

Patrick said the state would be watching power restoration efforts closely.

Shelters were opened across the state, but only 108 people were reported staying in the shelters Monday night, officials said.

Eleanor Grossman, 82, said she decided to go to the shelter in Weymouth after her mobile home began to sway from the fierce wind.

"I was frightened," she said. "It was beginning to move."

Sandy's strong winds were also felt in the western part of the state. In Pittsfield, a toddler escaped harm when she was pulled from her crib by her mother moments before a 15-foot section of an ash tree crashed into her bedroom.

The mother, Kim Esposito, told the Berkshire Eagle a neighbor called to warn her that the tree was splitting in two. She rushed into the second-floor bedroom to remove her nearly 2-year-old daughter, Samantha, before the tree came down on the house.

"I don't even want to think what would have happened if she was still in her crib," Esposito said, adding that it sounded like a "small explosion" when the tree hit.

Logan airport remained open, but cancellations were mounting and ticket agents seemed to outnumber passengers in Terminal A.

"I was supposed to fly out today and head home, but Hurricane Sandy had other ideas for me," said Shawn Hartman, 41, of San Antonio.

Hartman, a truck driver, dropped off a load of new trucks at a local dealership, then hopped a bus and train to get to Logan, only to find out his flight was canceled.

"I'm just resigned (to the wait)," he said. "They've got to do what they've got to do to keep everybody safe. I'd rather be here on the ground than, going down, you know?"